The Warlock Lives
by The Volcanologist
Summary: S1ep13 one shot with a slight twist. Magic is used. People are followed. Please review. One shot.


Series 1 Episode 13

I know I'm busy writing a story, but this was on my mind and I HAD to write it before I forgot. No, I don't own Merlin. Slight twist, please review. One shot.

Sorry, but no Gaius this time, but a bit more fighting from Nimueh and Merlin. Not that bad!  
>_<p>

"No Arthur, I'm happy to be your servant...until the day I die." I listened to Merlin ramble on about something probably stupid, but he didn't look stupid when he was saying it. In fact, he looked spot on serious. I furrowed my eyebrows, watching him bow and walk out of the door. I sipped my wine, still puzzled about his last comment.

Until the day he dies? But... but it's not his time to die yet! What does he mean? I was confused, very confused. He was going somewhere, I know he is. I just needed to find out where. I yawned, I was tired even though I had slept for what seemed like days. I stood up off my chair and smothered the fire, before clambering into bed. Tomorrow, I'll find out what it is, but first I must sleep.

I was woken by the sound of furious hooves on the court yard outside. I darted out of the bed and peered out of my closed cutains. I saw Merlin's silhouette, his brown jacket, galloping headlong out of the city on his black horse, but not my horse. Right time to find out what he's up to.

I got a knight to help me put some armour on, and I made him swear not to say anything if the king found out about this. Especially with what happened to me last week with the Questing Beast. I wonder who killed it?

Soon I was following Merlin, on another horse, not mine. If the king found out I was gone, I would be punished greatly. So hopefully, he'll see me roaming the castle, staying out of harms way, which of course I wouldn't be doing. Merlin was a few miles a head of me. I could see him, his black mare still galloping furiously. Soon, he headed into the trees, and I nearly lost him, if I hadn't urged my gelding faster.

Inside the forest, I tied the reigns loosely to a tree. I didn't want my horse to gallop off. As I walked carefully through the forest, not making a sound, I noticed Merlin had done the same to his horse. The ground was wet, and fairly muddy. I could see Merlin's small shoe prints embedded in the mud. I decided to follow them. I walked quickly but quietly, I didn't want to Merlin to figure out I was following him. He'll go insane!

I stumbled across a lake a few minutes later. It was quiet, too quiet for my liking. And misty, foggy. I looked around for a sign of Merlin. God, he knew where to hide, didn't he? I followed his footprints to a wooden pier. It looked old and ready collapsed, but there was a boat waiting in the shallow water. It wasn't tied up, so why wasn't it moving away? I stepped slowly onto the pier, before cautiously stepping into the tiny boat. I looked around for something to steer it with. All of a sudden the boat jerked, beginning to move without anything!

There was only one explanation for this...sorcery. I didn't know what to feel. Worry? Anger? Fear? Thrill? My adrenelin kicked in, and I had no idea what to do. I didn't know about how I was supposed to worry. For my life, or for Merlins? Has Merlin even came this way? My anger for sorcery. Someone did this. Was this good or bad though? Reasons for everything though. I had to go through them. Good- I was hopefully getting closer to Merlin. Bad- this could be a trap. My fear, for Merlin and myself. One of us, if not both of us could die from sorcery. After all, father said it was always bad. He killed everything or everyone to do with magic, not even a word about it. He just switched off and became stubborn at the sound of it. Thrill. Thrill didn't even come in to this. Maybe, yes, maybe I felt a little thrill of excitement. It's not every day you cross a strange lake in a strange boat. Where could I be going? Would it be worth exploring?

The boat twisted through corridors of unseen water. Autumn leaves had covered the little rivers, making the water look horrible to touch. It looked like a ruin of a castle, a very old castle. The boat stopped near a set of stairs. My emtions began to twist in every way possible now. I felt anger, I felt fear. I took out my sword and stepped bravely onto the strange stone. When I heard loud voices, I felt worry. I could hear Merlin. Now what would Merlin be doing here? With silent feet, I walked up through an archway, to find Merlin standing with his back to me, unaware that I here. On the other hand, Nimueh, stood glaring with an evil smile. I caught her glimpse me, but she said nothing, turning her glare back to Merlin.

"I will never join you." Merlin spat to her. Nimueh's hand began making tiny circles, a golden ball forming at the palm of her hand. Soon it was as big as he hand. She looked at it, then to Merlin.  
>"As you wish." The ball of what seemed fire left her hand, flying straight to Merlin. My heart lurched as it crashed into his chest, sending him flying. He hit the cobbled floor, his head cracking off a rock. I winced, that wouldn't have been good either. The sorcerer circled Merlin, victory in her eyes. "My my Merlin." She laughed, before turning back to the alter.<p>

I watched in awe as Merlin stood up, still facing Nimueh, not turning and running like I had expected. He stayed. However I couldn't see his eyes, but I knew by the way his body language acted, he was not at all happy with her. "You should have not harmed my mother." He spat. I froze. What had she done to Merlin's mother? It was obviously not good. "I said me! Not my mother!" He screamed. Then he lifted his hand towards her. Foreign words escaped his mouth in a roar. His eyesight stayed still, even as the heavens opened, drowing everything on the ground. A gust of wind circled Nimueh, from the cause of Merlin's hand.

I could not believe it. I thought he was my friend! Not my enemy. I thought I could trust him. The battle betweenSud the two sorcerer's roared on, Merlin still oblvious that I was here. I did not understand. Merlin? Sorcerer? No! But it was all here, infront of my eyes! I couldn't start denying things now. Suddenly, the battle paused. I looked up, to find Nimueh holding Merlin by the throat.  
>"I thought you would be so much better." She laughed. I took out my sword stepping out into the open. Merlin caught a glimpse of me, and paled dramatically. Is that how a sorcerer acts? It actually looked like he was going to faint. "Oh, I could be so much better." He said wearily. The idiot never seemed to be able to keep his mouth shut, could he?<br>"Could you now? I'm gonna whisper something under ten words. Let's see how good you can be." She laughed, throwing Merlin to the ground. Merlin looked at me, sorrow filled in his eyes.

The strange words were spoken, and I felt something tug on my throat. I gasped for breath, but none came. My sword dropped with a clatter on the stones. I couldn't breathe! My lungs were aching, feeling heavy and uncomfortable. I sunk to the floor, clutching my throat lightly. "Arthur!" Merlin cried. He came to my side, holding my by my waist and shoulder. I looked up at Nimueh, pleasure gleaming in her eyes. Merlin, crouched from where he was, raised a hand. Without muttering any words, an electric blue flashed from his palm, hitting Nimueh in her shoulder. Then it hit me. Merlin was no sorcerer. He was in fact, a person born with magic. Warlock. "Pity, that didn't stop me." She laughed and immediatley I felt my lungs relieve, letting the cool, sweet oxygen enter my body. Nimueh done the same spell as Merlin, but she had to use words. How come Merlin did not?

Merlin flew back, the pressure in his chest had been too much. I scrambled after him. I fell down at his side, and looked at him. I finally got a good look at him. His face pale, but blackened by the smoke, that had burnt his chest. His eyes were red, and two lines strolled down his face. He had been crying. I picked Merlin up in my arms.  
>"Oh, Merlin. Why do you have to be such an idiot?" I smirked down at him. He laughed, but turned into short gasps. I heard a little scream.<br>"Merlin! What have you done to me?" Nimueh screamed. I looked up, to find a pale blue light shining from her. She screamed and vanished, dead. I looked back to Merlin. "Merlin, look at me." I said in my most demanding tone. Merlin didn't. "For godsake Merlin look at me." I ordered. This time he did. Now, all I saw in his pale blue eyes was fear and hurt. "My chest hurts." He whimpered. "Let's get you back to Gaius, yeah?" I replied softly. He nodded, but his eyes drifted closed. "Merlin, don't do this!" I said, shouting so I could hear him. His head dropped backwards. "No, no, no!" I cried. I checked for his pulse. I sighed with relief.

The warlock lives. 


End file.
